CONTROL OF PARTICULATES

Particulates (also known as particulate matter or PM) are tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the
air. They are a major type of air pollutant and can be harmful to health, especially when inhaled.
Therefore, controlling particulate emissions is crucial in industries, power plants, construction sites, etc.
The control of particulates can be achieved through the following four major strategies:

1. CONTROL AT THE SOURCE

Controlling particulates at their origin is the most effective and economical method. It aims to
prevent or reduce the generation of particulates before they enter the atmosphere.
Techniques:
• Material Substitution: Use materials that produce less dust or vapor. For example, using
pelletized instead of powdered chemicals.
• Enclosures: Enclose processes that generate dust (like crushers, conveyors) to contain particles
and prevent them from escaping.
• Isolation of Dusty Operations: Separate dust-generating operations (like grinding or sieving)
from clean zones using barriers or dedicated rooms.
• Good Housekeeping: Regular cleaning using vacuum systems or wet mops to avoid dust
accumulation and re-suspension.
• Moisture Application:
o Sprinkling water on dusty roads or piles.
o Use of fog cannons or misting systems in mines and construction sites.
• Process Automation: Reduces human involvement and accidental emissions by controlling the
process more precisely.

2. PROCESS CHANGES
This method involves altering or improving the existing process so that fewer particulates are formed
during operations.
Examples:
• Raw Material Change: Use low-ash coal instead of high-ash coal to reduce fly ash in thermal
power plants.
• Fuel Substitution: Switching to cleaner fuels like natural gas instead of coal or wood.
• Combustion Optimization:
o Controlling air-to-fuel ratios.
o Maintaining optimal combustion temperatures.
• Closed-Loop Manufacturing: Reusing or recycling raw materials instead of disposing of
them.
 • Temperature Control: Lower combustion or reaction temperatures can reduce thermal
decomposition and ash formation.
• Preheating of Raw Materials: Reduces moisture content, thus minimizing steam explosions
and particulate release.
3. EQUIPMENT MODIFICATIONS
This involves modifying or upgrading existing machinery or systems so that they release fewer
particulates during operation.
Examples:
• Sealing Points: Covering or sealing leakages in ducts, conveyors, transfer hoppers, etc.
• Transfer Point Optimization: Installing hoods, baffles, or chutes at material transfer points to
direct dust into capture systems.
• Reducing Conveying Speed: High-speed conveyors can scatter dust; reducing speed
minimizes airborne particles.
• Using Dust Suppression Systems: Like vacuum hoods or misting systems at points where dust
is released.
• Enclosure of Moving Parts: Gears, belts, and fans may stir up dust; enclosing them reduces
dispersion.
• Airflow Management: Installing dampers, filters, or control valves to regulate air movement
and reduce re-suspension of particulates.

4. DESIGN AND OPERATION OF CONTROL EQUIPMENT

When source-level and process-based controls aren’t enough, air pollution control devices are used to
remove particulates after they are generated but before they are released into the environment.
Major Particulate Control Devices -Gravity Settling Chamber, Cyclone Separator, Fabric Filters,
Electrostatic Precipitators, Wet Scrubbers
Design and Operational Considerations:
• Airflow Rate: The device must be designed to handle expected flow volumes.
• Pressure Drop: Lower pressure drop is desirable to reduce energy costs.
• Cleaning System: Baghouses need periodic shaking or reverse air to clean bags.
• Corrosion Resistance: Especially for wet scrubbers or acidic gases.
• Automatic Monitoring: Use of sensors and PLCs to ensure optimal operation.
Equipment to Control
Particulate Matter
[Part-1]
Introduction
• The data to keep in mind in the
selection of proper equipment is:
▪ Quantity of gas to be treated and its variation
with time
▪ Nature of particulate matter
▪ Concentration of particulate matter
▪ Temperature and pressure of gas stream
▪ Nature of gas stream (i.e. solubility, corrosivity,
ignitability, etc.)
▪ Desired quality of treated effluent
Introduction
• Objectives of control equipment
▪ Prevention of nuisance
▪ Prevention of physical damage to property
▪ Recovery of valuable waste product
▪ Minimization of economic losses

• Efficiency of separating device

η = (quantity of particulates collected
from gas)/ (quantity of particulates
present initially)
Introduction
• To remove particulate matter from gaseous
streams various types of equipments are in
practice.
1. Settling chambers
2. Inertial separators
3. Cyclones/ Cyclone separators
4. Filters
5. Electrostatic precipitators
6. Scrubbers/ wet collectors
1. Settling chambers
• Settling chamber is the
simple equipment used
to collect particulate
matter from gaseous
streams.
• It consists of a chamber
in which the carrier gas
is allowed.
• The velocity of gas is
reduced in the large
chamber.
1. Settling chambers
• Under the influence of
gravity, the particles can
get settled at bottom.
• Hoppers/ collectors are
provided at bottom to
collect the settled
particulates.
• Used to remove particles
size greater than 50µm.
1. Settling chambers
Merits
• Simple design and low cost of construction and operation.
• No moving parts, so low maintenance.
• Effective for removing large and heavy particles.
• Can handle high-temperature and high-volume gas streams.

Demerits
• Not effective for fine particles (typically < 10 µm).
• Requires large space for installation due to low gas velocity
and long residence time.
• Low collection efficiency compared to other devices like bag
filters or electrostatic precipitators.
1. Settling chambers - Applications

• Industrial boilers and furnaces for pre-cleaning flue gases.

• Metallurgical industries for removing slag and dust from

exhaust gases.

• Cement and brick manufacturing plants.

• Used as a pre-cleaner before more efficient devices like

scrubbers or ESPs.
2. Inertial separators
• Inertial separators separate dust from gas
streams using a combination of forces such as
gravitation and inertial.
• These forces move the dust to an area where
the forces exerted by the gas stream are
minimal.
• The separated dust is moved by gravity into a
hopper, where it is temporarily stored.
2. Inertial separators
• These equipment utilise relatively greater inertia of the
dispersoid to effect the particulate gas separation.

• Such technique involves causing sudden change in the

direction of gas stream and there by separate the
particle by inertia, or impingement on a target.

• There are two fundamental types of inertial/ impact

separators:
1. Baffle type separator
2. Louver type separator
2.1 Baffle type separator

• In this baffle type

separator, the gas
stream is made to follow
a tortuous path.

• Such a flow is obtained

by inserting staggered
plates in series inside a
chamber.

• Such plates causes the

conveying gas stream to
make sudden change of
direction.
2.1 Baffle type separator
2.1 Baffle type separator
• While carrier gas is flowing through such a
tortuous flow, particles do not follow the gas
stream, strike on baffle walls and then settle.

• In most of cases, the device is used to remove

particles from power plants and rotary kilns.

• Baffle type inertial separator removes

particles of size greater than 20µm.
2.2 Louver type separator
• This is another type of
gas-particulate separator.

• Here a number of blades

set with an angle are
provided in the path of
gas flow.

• While the gas is flowing

through that path, the
particulate matter strike
the blade and then get
settle down.
2.2 Louver type separator
• The blades are set to force a
quick sharp change in the
direction of gas stream.

• The dust particles are separated

out and collected in the bed of
the separator.

• This device is suitable for

removing particles larger than
30µm.
2. Inertial Separators
Merits
• More compact and efficient than settling chambers.
• Can handle moderate to high dust concentrations.
• Low maintenance.
• Suitable for high-temperature gases.
Demerits
• Not suitable for removing fine particles (especially < 5 µm).
• Efficiency decreases at low flow rates.
• Pressure drop across the system can be significant.
2. Inertial Separators- Applications
• Cement Industry: Removal of raw material dust before kiln or
baghouse.

• Metal and Foundry Plants: Removal of metallic dusts and slag

particles.

• Food and Agriculture: Separating husk, grain dust, and chaff.

• Wood Processing Units: Collecting sawdust and wood chips

from air streams.

• Pre-cleaners: Used upstream of filters, scrubbers, or ESPs to

extend their life and improve efficiency.
3. Cyclones/ cyclone separators
• A centrifugal force is created
inside the chamber.

• This centrifugal force tend

to drive suspended
particulate matter to walls.

• Then the particles strike the

walls and move downwards.
 3. Cyclones
• The centrifugal force on particles
in a spinning stream, is much
greater than gravity.

• Hence cyclones are effective in

removal of much smaller
particles.

• Cyclones require less space.

• Cyclones are effective in removal

of particles with size in between
10µm to 40µm.
3. Cyclones/ cyclone separators
• Cyclone separators also
depends on centrifugal force
for its action.

• It can separate particulates

without moving its parts.

• The velocity of gas stream

near inlet, transformed into
confined vortex.
3. Cyclones/ cyclone separators

Advantages Disadvantages
• Low initial cost • Can cause few
• Requires less floor area operational problems
• Simple construction and such as erosion,
maintenance corrosion, etc.
• Can handle large • Cannot remove
volume of gas at high particles with size less
temperature than 10µm
• No moving parts • Sensitive to variable
dust load and flow rate
3. Cyclones/ cyclone separators
Applications

• Used in industries like cement, feed and grain

processing, food and beverage processing, paper
& textile industries and wood working
workshops.

• Used in recovery of catalyst ducts in petroleum

industry and reduction of fly ash emission.
Equipment to Control
Particulate Matter
[Part-2]
4. Filters

• Filters (or) fabric filters,

also called as fabric
collectors/ cloth filters/
bag filters/ bag house.

• Fabric collectors use

filtration to separate
particulates from polluted
gas streams.
4. Filters
• Polluted gases enter the bag
house and pass through fabric
bags that act as filters.

• The bags can be of woven,

cotton, synthetic or glass-fibre
material in either a tube or
envelope shape.

• In this system, the entered gas

allowed to pass through these
bags, which filters out the
particulate matter and allows
the gas to escape.
4. Filters
• Small particles are
retained on the fabric,
later on when the dust
mat will be formed.

• Frequently the bags/ filter

material should be
cleaned or replaced.

• Fabric filters are 99 %

efficient in removing
particles of size 1µm to
10µm
4. Filters
Merits
• Higher collection efficiency
• It collects particles smaller than 10µm
• Requires normal power consumption

Demerits
• High temperature gases need to be cooled
• High initial and maintenance cost
• High fabric replacement cost
• Large size equipment
• Fabric is liable to chemical attack
4. Filters
Applications

• Metallurgical industry
• Foundries
• Cement industry
• Ceramic industry
• Flour mills
• Brick works
5. Electrostatic precipitators
• Electrostatic precipitator is a device that removes
suspended dust particles from a gas or exhaust by
applying a high-voltage electrostatic charge and
collecting the particles on charged plates.

• Electrostatic precipitators can remove particles of size

less than 1µm.

• Efficiency – 95 to 99%.
5. Electrostatic precipitators
• In this method two electrodes are
fitted inside a chamber.

• When high voltage is applied an

electric discharge takes place in
between these two plates as a
result a strong electromagnetic
field will be created.

• The air in the strong

electromagnetic field get ionised.

• The ionised air consists of ions

and free electrons.
5. Electrostatic precipitators

• If the polluted gas allowed to pass through the strong

electromagnetic filed, the particulate matter get
negatively charged and attracted to positively charged
electrodes.

• Therefore, the particulate matter settle down on the

surfaces of electrode plates.

• These can be dislodged by vibrating the electrodes.

 5. Electrostatic precipitators
Components of ESP

• A Source of high voltage

• Electrode plates
• Inlet and outlet for the gas
• A hopper for disposal of collected gases
• A cleaning system
• An outer casing to form an enclosure around
the electrodes
 5. Electrostatic precipitator
Advantages

• Particles may be collected wet or dry

• Even small particles can be removed
• They can be operated at high temperatures up to 450 ˚C
• Maintenance is nominal

Disadvantages

• Higher initial costs

• Sensitive to variable dust loadings and flow rates
• Collection efficiency reduces with time
5. Electrostatic precipitator
Applications

• Cement factories
• Pulp and paper industries
• Steel plants
• Non-ferrous metal industry
• Chemical industry
• Petroleum industry
• Power plants
6. Scrubbers
• Scrubbers are also called as wet collectors.

• Scrubbers utilise liquids (generally water) to assist in the

removal of particulates from the carrier gas stream.

• In wet collectors, the particulate matter is agglomerated

with water and then separated from the gas with water.

• Scrubbers can separate particles even smaller than

0.2µm.
 6.1 Cyclone scrubbers
• Cyclone scrubbers are
another types of wet
collectors.
• High pressure nozzle
sprays located inside the
chamber generate a fine
spray that intercepts
particles entrained in the
swirling gases.
• The particulate matter is
thrown on to the walls by
centrifugal action and then
drained to the bottom.
 6.2 Spray towers
• Spray tower is the simplest
type of wet scrubber.
• In this scrubber, gas is passed
counter current to falling
drops of liquid from a series
of nozzles.
• The impingement and
interception of particles with
liquid droplets cause
settlement of particles along
with liquid droplets.
• Spray towers are used to
separate coarser particles.
6. Scrubbers/ wet collectors
Advantages

• Simultaneously remove particulates as well as gaseous

pollutants
• Hot gases can be cooled down
• Corrosive gases can be recovered and neutralised

Disadvantages

• Lot of waste water produced

• Maintenance cost is high
6. Scrubbers/ wet collectors
Applications

1. Power Plants (Coal-Fired Plants)

2. Steel & Metal Industries (Blast Furnaces, Smelting)
3. Cement Plants
4. Chemical & Petrochemical Industries
5. Waste Incineration Plants
6. Wood Processing and Pulp & Paper Mills